EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
1999
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2004
Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy
1999/0251 (CNS)
22 June 2000
OPINION
of the Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy
for the Committee on Citizens' Freedoms and Rights, Justice and Home Affairs
on the proposal for a Council decision on establishing a Community Action
Programme to combat discrimination 2001-2006
(COM(1999) 567 – C5-0046/2000 – 1999/0251(CNS))
Draftsman: Linda McAvan
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PROCEDURE
The Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy appointed Linda McAvan
draftsman at its meeting of 27 January 2000.
It considered the draft opinion at its meetings of 24 May 2000, 6 June and 21 June 2000.
At the last meeting it adopted the amendments below by 46 votes , with 4 abstentions.
The following were present for the vote: Carlos Westendorp y Cabeza chairman; Nuala
Ahern, vice-chairman; Peter Michael Mombaur, vice-chairman; Linda McAvan, draftsman;
Konstantinos Alyssandrakis, Ward Beysen (for Willy C.E.H. De Clercq), Guido Bodrato,
Yves Butel, Massimo Carraro, Gérard Caudron, Giles Bryan Chichester, Dorette Corbey (for
Erika Mann), Claude J.-M.J. Desama, Harlem Désir, Raina A. Mercedes Echerer (for Nelly
Maes), Concepció Ferrer, Francesco Fiori (for Renato Brunetta), Glyn Ford, Jacqueline Foster
(for Godelieve Quisthoudt-Rowohl), Neena Gill (for Eryl Margaret McNally), Norbert Glante,
Robert Goebbels (for Rolf Linkohr), Lisbeth Grönfeldt Bergman (for Anders Wijkman),
Michel Hansenne, Malcolm Harbour, Bashir Khanbhai (for Christos Folias), Bernd Lange (for
François Zimeray), Peter Liese (for Werner Langen), Caroline Lucas, Hans-Peter Martin (for
Imelda Mary Read), Marjo Tuulevi Matikainen-Kallström, Elizabeth Montfort, Luisa
Morgantini, Angelika Niebler, Giuseppe Nisticò (for Paul Rübig), Reino Kalervo Paasilinna,
Yves Piétrasanta, Elly Plooij-van Gorsel, Samuli Pohjamo (for Nicholas Clegg), John Purvis,
Alexander Radwan (for W.G. van Velzen), Mechtild Rothe, Christian Foldberg Rovsing,
Umberto Scapagnini, Konrad K. Schwaiger, Esko Olavi Seppänen, Astrid Thors, Claude
Turmes (for Ilka Schröder), Jaime Valdivielso de Cué, Dominique Vlasto .
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AMENDMENTS
The Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy calls on the Committee on
Committee on Citizens' Freedoms and Rights, Justice and Home Affairs, as the committee
responsible, to incorporate the following amendments in its report:
Text proposed by the Commission1
Amendments by Parliament
(Amendment 1)
Recital 4
(4) Whereas the programme should deal
with all grounds of discriminat ion with
the exception of sex, which is dealt
with by specific Community action;
whereas discrimination on different
grounds can have similar features and
can be combated in similar ways;
whereas the experience built up over
many years in combating
discrimination on some grounds,
including sex, can be used to the
benefit of other grounds; whereas,
however, the specific features of the
diverse forms of discrimination should
be accommodated; whereas, therefore,
the particular needs of people with
disabilities should be taken into
account in terms of the accessibility of
activities and results;
(4) Whereas the programme should deal
with all grounds of discriminat ion with
the exception of sex, which is dealt
with by specific Community action;
whereas multiple discrimination in
terms of gender should anyway be
taken into account in the
implementation of the
programme;whereas discrimination on
different grounds can have similar
features and can be combated in similar
ways; whereas the experience built up
over many years in combating
discrimination on some grounds,
including sex, can be used to the
benefit of other grounds; whereas,
however, the specific features of the
diverse forms of discrimination should
be accommodated; whereas, therefore,
the particular needs of people with
disabilities should be taken into
account in terms of the accessibility of
activities and results;
Justification:
It should be clear that, even if a specific Community action already exists in the field of
women discrimination, women often suffer from multiple discriminations linked both to their
gender and to their race or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability or age. The programme
should therefore not ignore the issue of multiple discrimination suffered by women.
1
OJ C xxx.
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(Amendment 2)
Recital 7
(7) Whereas it is necessary, in order to
reinforce the added value of the
Community action, that the
commission, in co-operation with the
Member States, should ensure, at all
levels, the coherence and
complementarity of actions
implemented in the framework of this
decision and other relevant policies,
instruments and actions, in particular
those under the European Social Fund,
and to promote social inclusion;
(7) Whereas it is necessary, in order to
reinforce the added value of the
Community action, that the
commission, in co-operation with the
Member States, should ensure, at all
levels, the coherence and
complementarity of actions
implemented in the framework of this
decision and other relevant policies,
instruments and actions, in particular
those under the European Social Fund,
the European Regional Development
Fund, and to promote social inclusion;
Justification:
The European Regional Development Fund also includes projects relevant for the fight
against discrimination.
(Amendment 3)
Recital 7a (new)
(7)a Whereas the coherence and
complementarity of actions
implemented in the framework of this
decision should be ensured with the
implementation of the specific
programmes for research,
technological development and
demonstration under the V
Framework programme for RTD
activities (1998-2002) "Quality of life
and management of living resources"
and "User-friendly information
society",and "Improving human
research potential and the socioeconomic knowledge base" as well as
with the definition and
implementation of future RTD
activities and specific programmes;
Justification:
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The specific programmes of the V FPRTD include key actions aiming to reduce the
disadvantages suffered by disabled and elderly. Coherence and complementarity with this
specific programmes should be ensured, in order to improve the results of the programme.
(Amendment 4)
Recital 7b (new)
(7)b Whereas complementarity should not
lead to a replacement for funding
covering projects concerning elderly
and disables, which are funded
through the V FPRTD or will be
funded through the future RTD
activities and specific programmes;
Justification:
It should be clear that complementarity does not create a risk for confusion among budget
lines destined to different aims.
(Amendment 5)
Article 3 - Objectives, first paragraph
The programme shall support and
supplement the effort at the level of the
Community and in the Member States to
promote measures to combat
discrimination, including by
complementing legislative developments.
The programme shall support and
supplement the effort at the level of the
Community and in the Member States to
promote measures to combat
discrimination and multiple
discrimination in terms of gender,
including by complementing legislative
developments.
Justification:
Notwithstanding the existence of a specific Community action in the field of women
discrimination, the objectives of this programme should include multiple discrimination
suffered by women linked both to their gender and to their race or ethnic origin, religion or
belief, disability or age.
(Amendment 6)
Article 9.2, first paragraph
2. The Programme shall be evaluated by
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2. The Programme shall be evaluated by
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the Commission with the assistance of
independent experts. This evaluation
will assess the relevance and
effectiveness of actions implemented
with regard to the objectives referred to
in Article 2. It will also examine the
impact of the programme as a whole .
the Commission with the assistance of
independent experts and involve full
consultation of appropriate NGOs
representing the target groups
concerned. This evaluation will assess
the relevance and effectiveness of
actions implemented with regard to the
objectives referred to in Article 2. It
will also examine the impact of the
programme as a whole .
Justification:
NGOs should be consulted because they can supply very relevant information concerning the
results of the implementation of the programme. They can give up-to-date information thanks
to their monitoring activities.
(Amendment 7)
Annex: Indication for the implementation of the programme
Chapter I: Areas of action, letter (e)
(e) the identification of tools and
methodologies for the effective
monitoring of discrimination;
(e) the identification of tools and
methodologies for the effective
monitoring of discrimination,
including multiple discrimination in
terms of gender;
Justification:
Accordingly with amendments to recital 4, and article 3, the Areas of action should foresee
the monitoring of multiple discrimination in terms of gender.
(Amendment 8)
Annex, Chapter II
Strand 1- Analysis and Evaluation, point (4)
(4) thematic studies with the framework of
the priority themes comparing and
contrasting approaches within and
across the different grounds of
discrimination..
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(4) thematic studies with the framework of
the priority themes comparing and
contrasting approaches within and
across the different grounds of
discrimination and approaches to deal
with the problem of multiple
discrimination.
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Justification:
Measures in order to monitor the respect of gender mainstreaming principle foreseen by the
Treaty should be supported. Multiple discrimination based both race/ethnic origin/religion/
belief/disability/age and gender should be taken into account in the implementation of the
programme.
(Amendment 9)
Annex, Chapter II
Strand 2 - Capacity building, point (1)
1. Transnational exchange actions
involving a range of actors from at least
4 Member States, consisting of the
transfer of information, lessons learned
and good practice. Activities may
include the comparison of the
effectiveness of processes, methods and
tools related to the chosen themes; the
mutual transfer and application of good
practice; exchanges of personnel; the
joint development of products,
processes, strategy and methodology; the
adaptation to different contexts of the
methods, tools and processes identified
as good practices; and/or the common
dissemination of results, visibility
materials and events.
1. Transnational exchange actions
involving a range of actors from at least
4 Member States, consisting of the
transfer of information, lessons learned
and good practice. Activities may
include the comparison of the
effectiveness of processes, methods and
tools related to the chosen themes; the
mutual transfer and application of good
practice; exchanges of personnel; the
joint development of products,
processes, strategy and methodology; the
adaptation to different contexts of the
methods, tools and processes identified
as good practices; and/or the common
dissemination of results, visibility
materials and events. When a certain
target group is faced with a specific
exclusive type of discrimination,
activities involving a particular
individual target groups will be
possible. Projects may adress issues of
multiple discrimination faced by
individuals.
Or. en
Justification:
The cross section of discriminated groups represented in the Non-Discrimination Action
Programme all face different forms of discrimination and would, therefore, benefit from some
separate and specific attention. Cross-sectoral partnerships are important and useful but it is
also important to allow some target group specific actions in the Action Programme to
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examine the specific concerns of each target group.
(Amendment 10)
Annex, Chapter II
Strand 2 - Capacity building, point (2)
2. Core funding for relevant European-level
non-governmental organisations with
experience of fighting discrimination and
acting as advocates of people exposed to
discrimination in order to promote the
development of an integrated and coordinated approach to the fight against
discrimination.
2. Up to 90% core funding for relevant
European-level non-governmental
organisations with experience of fighting
discrimination and acting as advocates of
people exposed to discrimination in
order to promote the development of an
integrated and co-ordinated approach to
the fight against discrimination. Due to
the diverse and heterogeneous nature of
the European disability movement, core
funding will be made available for a
broader range of European disability
organisations so as to reflect the
specific and exclusive needs of the
different impairment/disability groups.
Or. en
Justification:
It is important that core funding is provided at a sufficient level to allow small organisations
with few own resources to function at a European level. The figure used is consistent with the
financial annex proposed by the Commission. The disability movement is heterogeneous in
nature, consisting of different impairment groups (visually impaired persons, deaf persons,
physically impaired persons, persons with learning difficulties and people with mental health
problems). The different impairment groups often have concerns specific and unique to their
group. For this reason flexibility on the core-funding allocation is required to allow
representation at European level of these specific impairment groups.
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